Leather-measuring machine



Dec. 29, 1925- R. J. M FALL LEATHER MEASURING MACHINE Original Filed Dec. 2, 1921 |ll I INVEN'rEIY 1 Patented Dec. 29, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT J. Mern oFAMnERsT, MASSACHUSETTS.

LEATHER-MEASURING MACHINE.

Application filed December 2, 1921, Serial Nb."519,501. Renewed June 1, 1925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RoBnRT J. MOFALL, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing at Amherst, county of Hampshire, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Leather- Measuring Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to machines for measuring the irregular surfaces of such things as hides, skins and leather, and has for its object particularly to provide amachine which shall be more accurate than the machines heretofore in use and which can be constructed more cheaply on account of the relatively simple nature of its construction. The machine embodying my invention is an improvement on the machine shown in my prior application for Letters Patent of the United States, filed December,

member and, second, the so-called totaliz-.

ing or cumulating mechanism by means of which the areas of the strips measured by the several contact mechanisms are added together, i. 0., 'totalized or cumulated to obtain the grand total of the area of the hide. As will'be understood from the de scription which follows, the mechanism herein described does not depend for its result upon averaging the several areas measured by the respective contact members as is the case with many machines such, for instance, as those which employ evener mechanisms to operate the dial of the machine. As this is a source of error in machines of this type, my machine, which does not employ such mechanism, is more ac- F curate.

Furthermore, the totalizing or cumulating mechanism forming part of the machine embodying my present invention is not only simple in character, but is positive in its operation, thereby increasing the reliability achieved by employing a series of'balance'd gears, differential mechanisms or differentials, asthey are conveniently called, each of which is provided with a ring gear. In

this series of differential mechanisms, the

measurement of the leather by the direct addition or accumulating of the areas measured by the several contact mechanisms without resorting to any process of averaging the lengths of the severalstrips.

Another important feature of the machine is that it is so constructed that neither the measuring nor the cumulating mechanism is set back to a zero position, thereby saving error, wear and tear on the machine, and loss of time.

In the. accompanying drawings, I have shown electrical mechanism operated by the contact finger which sets in motion the, respective differential mechanisms forming part of the cumulating devices, but I do not limit myself to this construction, since I am aware that it isnot necessary to interpose between the contact finger and the differential any electrical system.

The invention will be fully understood from the following description when taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features thereof will be pointed out and clearly defined in the claims at the close of this specification.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view in side elevation illustrating my invention as applied to a leather measuring machine.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views on an enlarged scale of the contact mechanism and associated parts.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the differential mechanism and associated parts.

Referring now to the drawings, at 11 is shown a constantly rotating bedroll, preferably grooved, mounted on a shaft 12 and caused to rotate continuously and positively .by a motor 13 acting through suitable drivrolls 14 each mounted on a pivot 21. The pivot- 21 is carried by an arm 22 pivoted at 23 to a fixed partof the machine. This construction permits the several feed wheels to be lifted and driven independently of each other by contact with the leather as it passes through the machine thereby insur: ing the even passage of the leather with the rotation of the bedroll. Each feed wheel has an annular projection or rim a (see Figure 4) which is thicker than the spokes b'so that while the edges of adjacent wheels are quite close together, there remains a space 0 between the spokes of adjacent wheels. In practice, I give the inner surface of the rim, where it joins the spoke, a curvature, as shown at (Z in Figure 4. Between adjacent pairs of feed wheels are placed spoon-shaped contact carriers 15 (see also Figures 2 and which are of such a shape as to rest on the inner surfaces of the rims of the two feed wheels and be lifted therebywhenever either of said feed wheels is lifted. Vithin the spoon-shaped carrier 15 is mounted a, contact. arm 16 carrying a contact finger 17 which protrudes through a hole 18 in the bottom of the spoon-shaped carrier 15. The contact arm 16 is hinged to the carrier at 19, and 1s movable with relation thereto whenever the leather contacts with the tip 17 ofthe contact finger. The contact arm 16 carr es at its rear endan electric contact member 30 and coil spring 3l which cooperate with an adjustable electric contact 32 moiinted on a block on the contact carrier and insulated.

from the frame of the machine. The hereinbefore described [construction of the feed Wheels and contact mechanism constitutes an important improvement over the corresponding structureshown in my prior application to which reference has already been made. The structure of the present application is such that as theleather approaches the bite of the feed wheels, it will raise the feed wheels, thereby permits ting the leather to advance. The upward movement of the feed wheels lifts the contact carrier 15 and contact arm 16 nearly to the level of the surface of the advanc ing leather, but does not change the relative position of the contact carrier 15 and contact arm 16, nor does it close the electric contacts 30 and 32. hen the edge of the leather advances to a point substan tially at the point of tangency of the bedroll and the feed wheel, it supports the *arrier 15 at the level of its surface, and, on striking said point, strikes the contact finger 17 and lifts it, closing the electric contacts 30 and 32 and starting the cumulating mechanism by which the area of the hide is recorded. A- reverse sequence of events takes place as the hide passes out of the machine. It will be seen from the foregoing that this construction eliminates, even more completely than did the machine shown my prior application, the error resulting from the thickness of the leather at the edge, which error is one of the wellknown objections to leather measuring machines as at, present constructed.

The mechanism by which the area measured by each contact point l7- -is cumulated or totalized will now be described.

At 34 is shown a constantly running shaft driven by abelt 35 from the shaft 12. This shaft. drives a shaft 36 by a chain 38, and the shaft 36 in turn drives a second shaft 37in the opposite direction through gears 39 and 9 respectively. The shafts 36 and 37 are conveniently referred to as constantly running shafts. On theshafts 36 and 37 are a series of clutch members 40, one for each of the contact mechanisms already described. Only one of these will be described. Each clutch member. 40 is splined to the shaft so as to be rotatable with it but is slidable lengthwise. At 4 is shown a corresponding clutch member rotatably loose on the shaft and having its hub 2 formed into a pinionmeshing with a gear 43 which is conveniently termed a ring gear. At 44 and 45 are shown electromagnets in circuit with the electric contacts 30 and 32 and arranged to attract an armature 46,whenever the circuit through the mag nets 44 and 45 is closed. The armature 46 is mounted on a spring 47 the upper end of which is forked to. engage the driving member 40of the toothed clutch. It will therefore be seen. that whenever the circuit through the magnets 44 and 45 is closed, the clutch member 40 is caused to engage the clutch member 4 so that thereafter, and as long as the contact points 30 and 32 are keptclosed by the passage of the hide through the machine, the constantly running shaft 37 causes the pinion 2 and gear 43 to rotate. Similar mechanisms are provided on shafts 36 and 37 for each contact point. of the series across the machine. a

The gearing 43 is freely rotatable on a stub shaft 48 which is keyed to the frame of the machine and which with other short shafts, which will be later described, may be said to form a sectional shaft A. This sectionalshaft carries a series of so-called balanced gears or differential mechanisms such as are commonly employed in the rear axles of automobiles and which, may be either of the bevel. or spur gear type, the one being the equivalent of the other, as is well understood by thoseskilled in the art. In the drawings, I have shown differential gearings ofthe bevelled gear type. Each differential includes two small bevel pinions 49 and 50 carried in a spider secured to the ring gear 43. The pinions 49 and 50 mesh with a bevel pinion 51 which is secured to the shaft 48 and with a corresponding pinion 52 carried by a shaft '53 in line with the shaft 48. This shaft 53 passes through a journal bearing in the frame and the next adjacent ring gear corresponding to the ring gear 43 and which, in the drawings, I have designated 54. As will be understood, the ring gear 54 is loose on the shaft 53 and forms part of the next differential gearing. The gears 51 and 52 are conveniently referred to as the initial and final pinions of the differential, and the gear may be considered to be the final pinion of the entire series. From the foregoing, it will be seen that when the ring gear 43 is rotated by the closing of its corresponding contact, the pinions 49 and 50 cooperating with the initial pinion 51 secured to the shaft 48, will rotate the shaft 53 a proportional amount. It will also be seen that if the ring gear 54 of the second differential is rotated simultaneously and in the opposite direction to that of the gear 43, the next section 55 of the sectional shaft will be rotated an amount which is the sum of the amounts produced by the two gears 43 and 54. Pawls 6 are provided to prevent any backward motion of ring gears 43, 54, etc., said pawls engagingratchets on the clutch members 4. It will therefore'be seen that measured in terms of rotations of the final member 60 of the sectional shaft A, or of the final pinion 65 of the series, the area of the leather passing under thetwo con tact members has been added together or cumulated. It will also be understood that whenever any of the ring gears are rotated by the action of the corresponding contact points, the amount of leather measured thereby is addedto the amount measured by the other contact points. On the final member 60 of the shaft A is located a brake wheel 61 cooperating with a brake 62 which prevents any overrunning of the final member 60 of shaft A and thus render it certain that any motion conveyed to gears 43, 54, etc., will be immediately and accurately expressed in terms of rotation of said final member 60.

()n the finalend of the sectional shaft A, which is the end opposite to the fixed end, is a pinion 7 meshing with a gear 57 mounted on a dial shaft 58. The dial finger 59 is secured to the dial shaft 58 and registers on a dial 69. In practice, two dials are conveniently used, one, 82, being for the area of single hides and the second, 69, being for a series of hides. A dial hand 8 on the first dial is releasably secured to the shaft by means of a handle or thumb screw 5 or in any other suitable method, so that the dial hand may be released from its shaft and set back to Zero whenever desired and without disturbing the position of the rest of the mechanism. The dial hand of the second dial 69 is driven by reducing gearing 70,

71, etc., so that the dial will move relatively slowly. In practice, if a lot of hides is to be measured, the dial hand 8 will be set back to zero after each hide is n ensured, while the cumulating dial hand is not set back to Zero and therefore cumulates the total area of the hides in a lot which is being measured.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the train of mechanism between the magnets operated by the several circuits and the dial is very simple and is positive in action. For these reasons, the cost of constructing this part of the device is slight, and the danger that the mechanism will become deranged during the use is reduced to a minimum. It will also be seen that the total, whether of the hide or of the lot of hides,

is arrived at by the summation of the areas c of the several strips measured and not by averaging the lengths of two or more strips, as is the case in machines in which evener mechanisms or the like are employed. This greatly increases the accuracy of the machine and eliminates a chief source of error.

What I claim is j 1. In a leather measuring machine, a bed member, a feed wheel co-operating therewith, said feed wheel having an annular projecting member, a contact meachanism acuated upon the'passage of leather through .the machine, and a contact carrier therefor,

said carrier contacting with said annular member so that bodily movement of the feed wheel will move the contact carrier relatively to the bed member.

2. In a leather measuring machine, a bed member, a feed wheel cooperating therewith, said wheel having a laterally projecting rim. a contact finger and a contact carrier therefor, said carrier contacting with said rim so that bodily movement of the feed wheel will move the contact carrier relatively to the bed member, and said contact finger iein removably mounted on said carrier.

3. In a leather measuring machine, a contact carrier mounted to permit bodily move-' ment toward or away from the surface of the leather, means independent of the carrier to lift the carrier to the level of the surface of the advancing leather, a contact finger connected with said carrier for bodily movement therewith and actuated by contact with the leather upon passage of the latter through the machine, and cumulating mechanism controlled by the movement of Said contact finger.

4. In a leather measuring machine, a bed member, a feed Wheel cooperating therewith, said wheel having an annular projecting member, thereon, a contact finger adjacent. the feed wheel, a carrier upon which the contact fin er is movably mounted, said carrier resting 011 the annular projection of the feed wheel and movable bodily therewith, an electrical contact carried by the contact finger, and a cooperating electrical contact, said contact finger 'being actuated upon passage of the leather through the machine to close the circuit through the electrical contacts.

5. In a leather measuring machine, in combination, means for measuring strips of the material to be measured, means comprising a series of gears for directly cumulating the lengths of said strips without reducing such lengths to an average, means for actuating said cumulating means, and means controlled by said measuring means for controlling the connection of said cumulating means with said actuating means.

6. In a leather measuring machine, in combination, a bed member, a series of contact mechanisms arrangedlengthwise of the bed member and actuated by passage of leather through the machine, and cumulating mechanisms comprising differential gearings and controlled respectively by said contact mechanisms.

7 In a leather measuring machine, in combination, a bed member, a series of contact mechanisms arranged lengthwise of the bed member and actuated by passage of the leather through the machine, and a series of cumulating mechanisms controlled by said contact mechanisms and comprising differential gearings acting through a common sectional shaft.

8. In a leather measuring machine, a bed member, contact mechanisms arranged lengthwise of the bed member and actuated by passage of the leather through the machine, a sectional shaft, differential mechanisms on the sections of said sectional shaft, each of said differential mechanisms including a ring gear, pinions cooperating with said ring gears, said pinions being mounted on a constantly running shaft, clutches to cause the several pinions to be rotated by the shaft and electrical operating mechanism controlled by said contact mechanisms for causing the clutch mechanisms to set the several pinions in motion.

9. In a leather measuring machine, a bed member, contact mechanisms arranged lengthwise of he bed memberand actuated by passage of leather through the machine, a sectional shaft, differential mechanisms on the sections of said sectional shaft, each of said differential mechanisms including a ring gear, pinions cooperating with said ring gears, said pinions being mounted on constantly running shaft, clutches to cause the several pinions to be rotated by the shaft and means controlled by said contact mechanisms for causing the clutch mechanisms to set the several pinions in motion.

10. In a leathermeasuringmachine, a=bed member, aseries of contact mechanisms arranged lengthwise of the bed member'and actuated by passage of leather through the machine, a series of differential mechanisms in which the final pinion of one differential rotates the initial pinion of a succeeding differential, and means controlled by said contact mechanisms for rotating "said "differenial mechanisms respectively, whereby the movements of the several differential mechanisms controlled by the several contact mechanisms are cumulated.

11. In a leather measuring =machine, cnmulating mechanism including a series-of su -cessively arranged differentials each adapted to cumulate the movements of all the preceding differentials, in combination withmechanism controlled by the passage of leather through the machine for'actuating the several differentials independently.

12. In a leather measuring machine, a series of differential mechanisms each comprising a ring gear and pinions and in which the final pinion of one differential rotates the initial pinion of a succeeding differential, whereby a total movement is cumulated by said series, and means for rotating said ring gears independently.

13. In a leather measuring machine, a series of contact mechanisms actuated by passage of leather through the machine, a series of differential mechanismseach comprising a ring gear and pinions and in which the final pinion of one differential'rotates the initial pinion of a succeeding.

differential, and mechanism actuated by said contacts to rotate said ring gears independently of each other.

1 In a leather measuring machine, a series of differential mechanisms each comprising a ring gear and pinions and in which the final pinion of'one differential rotates the initial pinion of a succeeding differential, means for rotating said gears. and registering mechanismactuated-by t e final pinion of said series of differentials.

15. In a leather measuring machine. a series of contact mechanisms actuated by passage of leather through the machine, a series of differential mechanisms each comprising a ring gear and pinions and in which the final pinion of one differential rotates the initial pinion of a succeeding differential, mechanism actuated by said contacts to rotate said ring gears independently of each other, and registering mechanism operated by the final pinion of said series of differentials.

16. In a leather measuring machine, a series of differential mechanisms 'each comprising a ring gear and pinions and in which the final pinion of one differential rotates the initial pinion of 'a succeeding differential, a constantly rotating member,

and means for causing said member to 1'0- tate any of said ring gears.

17. In a leather measuring machine, a series of differential mechanisms each comprising a ring gear and pinions and in which the final pinion of one differential rotates the initial pinion of a succeeding differential, a constantly rotating shaft, a series of contact mechanisms operated by the passage of leather through the machine, and mechanisms operated by said contact mechanisms to connect said shaft to one or more of said ring gears, so that the said ro tating member will until disconnected rotate the connected ring gears.

18. In a leather measuring machine, a series of differential mechanisms in which the final pinion of one differential rotates the initial pinion of a succeeding differential, a series of contact mechanisms operated by the passage of the leather through the machine, and means controlled by said contact mechanisms for rotating said differentials as long as the said contact mechanisms are in contact with the leather.

19. In a leather measuring machine, differential mechanisms, contact mechanisms operated by the passage of leather through the machine, a constantly rotating member, and mechanism operated by the contact mechanism for causing said constantly rotating member to actuate one or more of said differentials.

20. In a leather measuring machine, a

series of differential mechanisms each comprising a rmg gear and pinions and in which the final pinion of one differential rotates the initial pinion of a succeeding differential, a series of contact mechanisms operated by the passage of leather through the machine, two constantly running shafts rotating in opposite directions, and mechanisms controlled by said contact mechanisms to connect the ring gears of alternate differentials to the oppositely rotating shafts.

21. In a leather measuring machine, a series of contact mechanisms operated by the passage of leather through the machine, a series of differential mechanisms each comprising a ring gear and pinions and in which the final pinion of one differential rotates the initial pinion of a succeeding differential, and means controlled by the several contact mechanisms to rotate the ring gears of alternate differentials in opposite directions.

22,111 a leather measuring machine, a series of differential mechanisms in which. the final pinion of one differential rotates the initial pinion of a succeeding differential, means for rotating said differentials, and means comprising a brake acting on the final pinion of the series for limiting the movement of said differentials to that imparted thereto by said rotating means.

In testimony whereof I affix" my signa ture.

ROBERT J. MoFALL. 

